It's pretty clear how much of the $15 billion textbook market the Amazon Kindle will capture: $0.

This week Amazon announced a new large screen Kindle DX. Basically the same as before but a brighter screen/clearer image - even better in direct sunlight than before.

As pointed out in the Wall Street Journal, the prior large screen device has already failed in education:
Amazon's Kindle DX Re-Enters Ring by Geoffrey A. Fowler and Shira Ovide, Wall Street Journal, 2 July 2010

Also, this week, there was more news about U.S. Fed warnings about how Kindle fails the important test in education of accessibility for the blind - making it a legal liability:
Inaccessible E-Readers May Run Afoul of the Law, Feds Warn Colleges by Marc Perry, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 29 June 2010

Well, there are no perfect solutions for textbooks on e-readers in education, but it certainly seems that the iPad is distancing itself as a possible way forward on an almost daily basis. All we need is an iPad e-Book app that is based on open standards and lets anyone play regardless of the distribution channel . . .

Hey - on the bright side for Amazon at least the Kindle may be the choice for students taking courses on the beach!

-Rob Abel

Edited: 07/02/2010 at 01:12 PM by RobAbel